Despite the heat, plants at the Hastings Garden are looking bountiful and alive––tomatoes, basil, corn, kale... all thriving!

Here are a few garden updates for August:

WATER RESTRICTIONS

As you are all aware, we've entered Stage 3 water restrictions for the City of Vancouver. The watering of lawns is prohibited, but we're still able to water our vegetable gardens, so a bit of a break there. That said, let's continue to be conservative with our watering (no more than 3 waterings a week, which should be ample), and to report any busted nozzles or leaking hoses, so that I can address the issue ASAP.

Fingers crossed that the city doesn't bump us into Stage 4 restrictions, which ban the watering of vegetable gardens outright. Eep!

NO SMOKING AT THE GARDEN

There are new no smoking signs at the garden. I ask that you all help out by observing this rule, as well as informing any visitors to the garden that the fire risks are simply too high to have lit cigarettes on site with all that dry wood chip.

WEEDS

Keeping up with the weeds at the garden is an ongoing (losing) battle. I'm asking you to help out by yanking anything that's growing up through the liner and wood chip in the immediate vicinity of your beds. These pesky plants can be composted. Cheers.

GROWING TIPS: GARLIC HARVEST

If you haven't yet yanked your garlic, or if you want to learn about garlic harvesting for next year, here's a great video:

And if you're interested, check out this summer update from ** West Coast Seeds (http://shiftinggrowth.us3.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=764a1db14c3c23e7a865a5214&id=55ecfb41f8&e=46b9d57ae1)
on gardening in an El Nino year.